Researchers at Duke University and the Scripps Research Institute were informed on Friday that their funding would be cut.
The now-axed vaccine program was another shining example of US scientific leadership, bringing together top researchers from coast to coast and pushing the boundaries of immunology.
The NIH has also paused funding for a separate clinical trial of an HIV vaccine developed by Moderna.
In Texas, the state’s Department of Health Services told grantees to pause HIV prevention activities ‘until further notice.’
But in his second term, his administration has slashed prevention efforts, terminated several grants doe preventative drugs, and shut down the HIV prevention division at the CDC.
The Trump administration’s sudden cancellation of a significant US research program to create an HIV vaccine has angered people as prevention efforts come to a standstill.
Scientists, whose years-long project had also aided in the development of treatments for COVID-19, autoimmune diseases, and even snakebite antivenom, were shocked when the administration ended the promising $258 million research program.
The Scripps Research Institute and Duke University researchers were notified Friday that their funding would be reduced.
The New York Times was informed by a senior official who wished to remain anonymous that “NIH leadership reviewed the consortia for HIV/AIDS vaccine development and immunology, and does not support it moving forward.”. In order to eradicate HIV/AIDS, NIH anticipates refocusing its efforts on employing currently accessible methods. “.”.
Dennis Burton, the immunologist who oversaw the program at Scripps, told the New York Times, “I find it very disappointing that the funding for highly successful HIV vaccine research programs should be pulled at this critical juncture.”.
Around 110,000 people in the UK and over 1.2 million in the US are infected with HIV.
Richard Angell, the CEO of the Terrence Higgins Trust, an HIV charity, stated that Donald Trump’s decision to cut funding for the HIV vaccine is both heartbreaking and mind-blowing. A vaccine is the ultimate goal of any virus response and the only thing that will ultimately ensure the safety of every American. An honorable president would prefer that America be the first to develop the HIV vaccine rather than abandon the game at the last minute. “.”.
A $258 million HIV vaccine research program has been abruptly discontinued by the Trump administration, putting a stop to work at the Scripps Research Institute and Duke University.
The NIH announced that it would no longer fund the consortia, directing attention toward already-available HIV prevention and treatment resources.
The US has been at the forefront of HIV research for decades, investing billions of dollars in state-of-the-art research that has made a once-fatal virus a treatable illness for millions of people.
U.S. laboratories were the first to decipher the genetic code of HIV, create antiretroviral medications that saved lives, and lead international programs like PEPFAR that helped save over 25 million lives globally.
Another brilliant example of US scientific leadership was the now-canceled vaccine program, which brought together leading scientists from coast to coast and advanced immunology.
The cancellation is a component of a larger federal rollback of HIV initiatives. Funding for an additional clinical trial of an HIV vaccine created by Moderna has also been halted by the NIH.
HIV prevalence is still high. The World Health Organization reported 1 point 3 million new infections in 2023 alone, including 120,000 in children.
Over 32,000 individuals in the United States and 4,000 new cases in the United Kingdom were infected with the virus last year.
Some areas of the United States are already experiencing the consequences. The Department of Health Services in Texas instructed grantees to put an end to HIV prevention initiatives “until further notice.”. Ten employees of the health department have been let go in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina.
After US aid was delayed, a number of African nations reported significant disruptions in their prevention efforts.
According to John Moore, an HIV researcher at Weill Cornell Medical College, “destroying research on a vaccine will end up killing people because the HIV pandemic will never be ended without one.”. “It is not appropriate to scuttle the NIH’s multi-year investment in cutting-edge vaccine technologies like this.”. “.”.
Restructuring the nation’s health agencies is a pledge made by both Trump and RFK Jr.
The use of broadly neutralizing antibodies, which could offer protection against various HIV strains, was a promising strategy that researchers had been exploring.
After numerous trials failed to produce a conventional HIV vaccine, the Duke and Scripps teams adopted a novel strategy: researching broadly neutralizing antibodies that protect against various virus strains in animals.
The pipeline that showed promise might now run dry.
“Those two programs’ work is crucial to almost everything in the field,” Warren said. “The pipeline just became clogged.”. “…
President Trump had backed initiatives to stop the HIV epidemic during his first term.
However, during his second term, his administration has cut back on prevention initiatives, stopped funding several preventative medication grants, and closed the CDC’s HIV prevention division.
The work may be moved to an unidentified federal agency, according to officials, but no specifics have been disclosed.
